Where do I start with all the questions?
I'm going to apologize in advance for being all over the place with some questions and the long post. I just introduced myself and Cassie over in the intro section.
Cassie's 7 months old and been with us just about a week. We know she is still settling in and we're still in the honeymoon period (though she is beginning to show her stubborn side, lol). She has had a lot of homes in her short life, wherever she was born, a stray, the pound, adopted out, brought back to the pound, the foster mom and now us.
I'm amazed at how mellow she is for a pup. She's still a pup, still has a lot to learn, but she walks very well on the leash, not much pulling, knows how to sit, has already just this week learned to wait before she gets to eat and to wait at the end of the rug in the entry hall whenever anyone comes to the door. When she sees the leash, she sits right away. Meal times we just have to tell her no begging a couple of times and she lays down and doesn't ask again.
She holds her pee for a long time! Which makes it nice for sleeping but the housebreaking is hard. It's been 14 years since I did any housebreaking and back then I was able to crate my Border Collie mix easily. When we are home she is free to roam with us but I can't figure out when she wants/needs to go out. With a younger pup they go more often but with her, well, she holds it 8-9 hours at night and sometimes all day. She won't pee or poop when we walk (3 walks a day) During the day she sometimes goes to the door and we go out and walk with her to where she wants to pee and praise and treat and all that. But half the time she just wants to go out and lay down outside. I don't want to stress her but it feels too unsettled. Maybe I am expecting too much too soon?
I'd appreciate any tips.
The other big thing that we need to work on is some separation anxiety. Obviously she can't have free run of the house yet. We have a crate but I wonder if it is big enough. It's the Vari-Kennel extra large (42" long). Maybe I should get a 48"?
Anyway, my husband works from home a lot of the time and my schedule has me go in early and come home early so we're hoping she won't have many times to go in the crate and not for long, maybe 3-4 hours. She gets a walk before going in the crate. We leave the TV on for her, she has a stuffed Kong, and a shirt that smells like us. She barks and whines and cries for a long time. I've never had this before....do I just let it go?
I'm thinking about getting a pair of gates so I could block her in the bathroom (one gate on top of the other because of course she could jump the small one) I wonder if having a bit more room would help her?
whew...sorry for so much at once. thanks!
I'm going to apologize in advance for being all over the place with some questions and the long post. I just introduced myself and Cassie over in the intro section.
Cassie's 7 months old and been with us just about a week. We know she is still settling in and we're still in the honeymoon period (though she is beginning to show her stubborn side, lol). She has had a lot of homes in her short life, wherever she was born, a stray, the pound, adopted out, brought back to the pound, the foster mom and now us.
I'm amazed at how mellow she is for a pup. She's still a pup, still has a lot to learn, but she walks very well on the leash, not much pulling, knows how to sit, has already just this week learned to wait before she gets to eat and to wait at the end of the rug in the entry hall whenever anyone comes to the door. When she sees the leash, she sits right away. Meal times we just have to tell her no begging a couple of times and she lays down and doesn't ask again.
She holds her pee for a long time! Which makes it nice for sleeping but the housebreaking is hard. It's been 14 years since I did any housebreaking and back then I was able to crate my Border Collie mix easily. When we are home she is free to roam with us but I can't figure out when she wants/needs to go out. With a younger pup they go more often but with her, well, she holds it 8-9 hours at night and sometimes all day. She won't pee or poop when we walk (3 walks a day) During the day she sometimes goes to the door and we go out and walk with her to where she wants to pee and praise and treat and all that. But half the time she just wants to go out and lay down outside. I don't want to stress her but it feels too unsettled. Maybe I am expecting too much too soon?
I'd appreciate any tips.
The other big thing that we need to work on is some separation anxiety. Obviously she can't have free run of the house yet. We have a crate but I wonder if it is big enough. It's the Vari-Kennel extra large (42" long). Maybe I should get a 48"?
Anyway, my husband works from home a lot of the time and my schedule has me go in early and come home early so we're hoping she won't have many times to go in the crate and not for long, maybe 3-4 hours. She gets a walk before going in the crate. We leave the TV on for her, she has a stuffed Kong, and a shirt that smells like us. She barks and whines and cries for a long time. I've never had this before....do I just let it go?
I'm thinking about getting a pair of gates so I could block her in the bathroom (one gate on top of the other because of course she could jump the small one) I wonder if having a bit more room would help her?
whew...sorry for so much at once. thanks!